GAS PRICES AT AN ALL TIME ... wait, that was during Katrina

WTF??? So, the gas price spike during Hurricane Katrina was all hype after all. Here's Rita, right behind it... NOT A CENT OF A SPIKE in Central Illinois. At least not one that I have seen. We've been had, people. We've been had.

MAYBE I'M JUST A LITTLE HOMESICK

I can't explain it. Maybe it's the changing in the season. Maybe it's that I'm getting older. Maybe it's that I realize how much my life has changed since I moved to Springfield... but I find myself a little depressed. Okay, I find myself VERY depressed. I have been for a few weeks now. Can't really put my finger on it, really.

For years and years and years this particular week was always an important one to me. It was the week of the National Quartet Convention.

Okay, don't laugh.

Now, I'm not talking about the barbershop quartets, I'm talking about gospel quartets like the Oak Ridge Boys and J. D Sumner and the Stamps Quartet. Yep, they have a yearly convention. And over the years it's progressed to include other gospel artists that were not quartets.

I lived for the National Quartet Convention. (and again, don't laugh. Talk to artists like Axl Rose and the like and they'll tell you they used to loooooove the NQC. His big dream was to perform on the stage of the NQC...)

So, it's going on this week, and I'm not there.

Oh well.

In the meantime, I've gained weight since I moved to Springfield and I drink a little too much.

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!! I love my job and I love all of you wonderful people of the capitol city... I think I'll join Fit Club tomorrow and get back to the weight you see in the picture to your left.

But first, I'll finish this bowl of ice cream and drink this wonderful cosmopolitan. -- Nite nite

GEORGE W. BUSH - NOW THERE'S A REAL MAN

I'm serious. I'm as serious as I can be. How many times do we beg people to just take responsibility for mistakes and move on?? George W. Bush did that today.

"To the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility."

Asked if Americans should worry that the government remains unprepared to respond to another major disaster or a terrorist attack, Bush said:

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government."

Bush himself raised questions about preparedness, after four years of record spending on domestic security since September 11, 2001.

"Are we capable of dealing with a severe attack or another severe storm? That's a very important question and it's in our national interest that we find out exactly what went on so we can better respond."

Yes. Thank you. Now let's move on. George W. will speak to the nation on Thursday night about the recovery and about the long-term plans for rebuilding.

Now isn't it time for Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and Gov. Blanco to step up to the plate and say, "we take full responsibility for dropping the ball"?

MY TURN TO BUSH BASH

Okay - mark it down. ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY I'M GOING TO HAVE TO BASH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.

Isn't what's happening in New Orleans, and other places, the first test of our nation's Homeland Security since 9-11?

Wouldn't you say that our nation's Homeland Security dropping the ball here? I've been doing some studying on this. Where are the "tent cities" that the army is well-known for? These "tent cities" have air conditioning, medical equipment, toilets, water, etc. These "tent cities" were available for all of the Cuban refugees that flooded our country in the early 80's. Where are they for Americans? Surely there are places to set these up outside of the destruction that's not 9 hours away. (Houston the nearest dry place for refugees?)

Why is the Pentegon just now sending troops to get things under control? I agree that it's a state's job to deploy it's National Guard, but WTF? Why has it been taking so long? And if the Governor can't get the job done, isn't that when the Feds need to step in?

My heart is breaking right now. To look at the faces of the desperate, the hungry, the angry AMERICAN CITIZENS is devestating. How can we continue to let these people suffer?

HOMELAND SECURITY? Bull-shit. Feel more secure after 9-11? First test - GOVERNMENT GETS A GREAT BIG "F".